This invention relates generally to sewing machines, and more specifically it relates to a home sewing machine selectively operable for making lock stitches and overlock stitches.
In the mass production of sewn clothes, the lock stitches and the overlock stitches are most used. The former is for stitching edges of the cloth, and the latter is for darning and in addition for ordinary stitching when the clotch is very elastic such as knitted material.
In general home sewing activity, however, the lock stitches are most frequently used and not the overlock stitches. This fact does not mean that the overlock stitching is not desired in domestic sewing but it merely means that due to the different formations of these two kinds of stitches an additional cost, maintenance and storage made the machine for overlock stitching impractical.
Consequently, the zigzag stitching or so-called three-folded edge stitching has been substituted for the edge darning. However, the sewing technique has recently become diversified due to prevailing knitted materials, or because fashion has been taken into account, and the edge darning utilizing the lock stitching has not coped with the requirements. Especially, in very elastic materials such as jersey it is necessary to use stitches capable of matching the elasticity of the material. Also in this regard, the overlock stitching is desired.